Security is a big issue in games today. Why? Well, it can ruin everything for everyone. Companies lose money when people cheat the system and eliminate needs for add-ons, wreck game elements, or make the online experience unsavory. Players lose, because it means you can run across godlike trolls. Even the cheaters eventually lose, since there is a very good chance they will be caught. But even with all this, sometimes it might seem like people underestimate game anti-cheat systems and the effect these things can have on their gaming lives. They are something people have to take seriously.

Consider Epic Games buying Kamu, the anti-cheat company. Epic has been attempting to show its commitment to Fortnite and keeping it safe. This includes promises to tighten things up, incentivizing two-factor authentication, and suing YouTubers who get involved with cheating and mods. But picking up a whole anti-cheat company, rather than just announcing some partnership to have a certain program in its games, is huge. This shows a whole new level of dedication. It also might suggest Epic could crack down further on cheating and hacking, which should put fear into the heart of any player considering pushing the limits.

Consider Rainbow Six Siege from Ubisoft. This is a game that has had various levels of anti-cheat systems in place over the years, and in July 2018, the company began a push to enable even more layers of protection. Which is great, because this shooter is still incredibly active and has lots of people trying to crack it open. It started with hotfixes, mandatory two-factor for PC players, and in August 2018 added even more and anti-toxicity. The first wave of BattlEye System bans got 3,800 cheaters. It works with FairFight to keep all the bad guys out of your game. That, combined with people gaming the system to bait trolls into being caught by anti-toxicity measures, and the game is gradually getting more and more secure.

Then, there is PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. Its new anti-cheat system does not play around. If someone cheats, they are out. And by out, I mean that their entire PC could be permanently banned from the game. PUBG Corp is seeing the kinds of problems people are facing and has taken a step that could make the things better than ever for legitimate players and a nightmare for ones who either cheat or share their computer with someone who does cheat. It is a case of going above and beyond to make things right for the people who want to follow the rules.

What does this mean for all of the people playing games like Fortnite, PUBG, and Rainbow Six Siege. Well, it means those players who cheated in the past or are currently cheating should stop. Don’t think you will be the lucky one anti-cheat systems won’t catch. It is becoming more and more like a matter of “when,” rather than “if.” For those who stick to the straight and narrow, it still makes sense to be rather aware. Mistakes can be made. Policies can change. Even if you think you are doing everything right, a company could implement anti-toxicity features alongside an anti-cheat system and a bad day could put you in hot water too.

Basically, people need to stay informed. Reading about things like anti-cheat systems may seem boring. Details may blend together. But companies aren’t fooling around anymore. They are putting extra effort into securing games. That can mean buying whole other companies, banning the computer a cheater was playing on, or even adding anti-toxicity measures alongside anti-cheat systems. It is all in the name of the greater good and protecting the experience, and keeping aware can keep you from accidentally being lumped in with cheaters.